As an engineer at Toshiba, one of Japan’s most prestigious corporations, Suresh Jeyachandran enjoyed an exciting career in software product development. But as he moved up the ranks and assumed greater responsibilities, Suresh realized that he “had technical knowledge, but needed management knowledge; that was the missing link for me.” Exploring his options for graduate study, he discovered USC Marshall’s one-year intensive IBEAR program.

From the beginning, he knew he had chosen well. Marshall, he says, offers an unbeatable combination: “The faculty is amazing, the Trojan network is invaluable and the location really matters.” As Suresh points out, “When you’re in business school, you don’t want to be cut off from the world; you want to be where things are happening.” And with its incredible business diversity and proximity to the Asia Pacific Region, Los Angeles is the ideal laboratory for new ideas.

With 18 years of work experience and over 50 patents to his credit, Suresh had stacked up an impressive array of accomplishments before coming to Marshall. It’s a level of achievement shared by his IBEAR colleagues who, at an average age of 34, “are very seasoned. Discussions in class are extremely mature, and everyone is able to relate what the professors are saying to their own experiences.” This, he points out, is yet another way that Marshall distinguishes itself from the competition.

For Suresh, there was an additional reason to relocate his wife and young daughter to Southern California. “My favorite place is Disneyland, because my daughter likes it so much.” His interest is not purely personal: The Magic Kingdom, says, Suresh, “is all about engineering and customer satisfaction. From a business point of view, there’s a lot to learn. So going there isn’t just for my daughter.”